Actor Steven W. Bailey, known for his role on Grey's Anatomy, has publicly disclosed his battle with a rare genetic condition that occasionally requires him to use a wheelchair. In a candid social media post, he explained the challenges of Congenital Myasthenia Syndrome and assured fans and industry professionals of his continued capabilities. Bailey hopes sharing his story won't hinder his acting career.
Steven W. Bailey, best recognized for portraying Joe the bartender on the long-running medical drama Grey's Anatomy, recently shared a personal revelation about his health on X over the weekend. For more than five years, he has been managing Congenital Myasthenia Syndrome (CMS), a genetic disorder that affects the nerve-muscle junction, disrupting signals from the brain to the muscles.
Bailey described the condition in detail: "CMS is a genetic disease that disrupts the communication between the brain and the muscle at the 'nerve/muscle junction.' ... My muscles aren't clearly receiving all my brain's orders to do all the swell things muscles are meant to do. It's a drag."
Previously, he kept his diagnosis private due to concerns about its impact on his professional opportunities in Hollywood. However, he emphasized that his wheelchair use is ambulatory, meaning he can still handle many physical demands of acting. "Much like walking my dog around the block, or helping at the store, I can still perform on my feet, limitedly. I can ambulate my way through simple 'walks and talks' with no problem. I can still rise to my feet to object to the judge, derail a town meeting, or yell at a cop for being a loose cannon. But, practically speaking, moving forward, it's time for my work, like in my life, to start skewing more wheelchair, if you will."
Reassuring his audience, Bailey noted he remains the same performer, just "now with wheels." His television credits extend beyond Grey's Anatomy to include roles in Chicago Fire, You, Modern Family, Shameless, Scandal, All That, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This openness aims to normalize his experience while navigating potential career adjustments in an industry often reliant on physical mobility.
